Precision livestock farming (PLF) is a sub-set of digital agriculture and precision farming. The reader is referred to those pages. At the close of the last century, livestock farming worked with average values per group, largely because of the size of operations. With the aid of technology like software and electronic identification (EID), Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) returns to […]
Photo by Johny Goerend on Unsplash Also see the “Digital agriculture”, “Drones”, “Mapping” and “Agricultural media and ICT” pages. Introduction Precision farming utilises six ultra-modern technologies: Global Positioning Systems (GPS), which provides a navigation system to establish a position of a tractor or combine anywhere in a land within less than 2 meters on a latitude-longitude grid overlay. […]
Introduction Permaculture is a system based on natural ecosystem processes: through consciously combining plant, animal, built environment and energy systems, it endeavours to create sustainable human habitats, settlements and agriculturally productive systems. The intention is to design productive systems that ultimately generate more energy than they consume, with no negative impact on the natural or […]
Organic farming Agro-ecology Biodynamics Regenerative Agriculture Vegan Organic farming
Introduction It is essential to have accurate maps in any farming enterprise, particularly if you are planning to do precision farming. Other times when you will be grateful to have maps are when you are: planning aerial crop-spraying determining the potential of land applying pesticides ordering seed and fertiliser wishing to insure your crops hiring or […]
Introduction Agricultural activity takes place within a wider social, environmental and economic context, and so any attempt at compiling a list of the laws which affect agriculture necessarily goes beyond the laws administered by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD). The reader will find two lists of legislation: one of laws […]
Introduction Laboratories play a vital role in the monitoring and effectiveness of the agricultural value chain. Resources like soil and water are evaluated. Precision agriculture and its accurate application of fertiliser, for example, depend on the soil tests. Inputs like animal feed and fertiliser are analysed. Using tainted inputs like fertiliser can have a detrimental […]
Introduction Translated directly, hydroponics means plants working (growing) in water. The word hydroponic is derived from two Greek words: hydro – meaning water, and ponos – meaning labour. A modern definition of hydroponics: A system where plants are grown in a growing media or substrate other than natural soil. All the nutrients (6 macro- and 6 micro-elements) are dissolved […]
Fertilisation is the feeding of plants, while Fertigation is the feeding of plants by means of first dissolving the nutrients in the irrigation water. Hence the name “Fertigation” which is a combination of the two words “Fertilisation” and “Irrigation”. Advantages of Fertigation Uniform application of the fertilisers throughout the irrigated area. The amounts and […]
Introduction Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) Distant water points and livestock are obvious things that require checking up on, and how better to do it than sending an unmanned aircraft (during the day or night) to confirm that all is in order. Useful applications of drones in agriculture revolve around: surveillance of livestock, vehicles etc damage […]
